NSF 2017: Roundup of the Best Sessions

The 2017 National Sports Forum is just around the corner. While we’re not looking forward to trading Texas warmth for Minneapolis tundra, we’re super excited to spend a few days with like-minded sports experts from around the world.

An overwhelming amount of great content always leads to an increase in your FOMO anxiety. But don’t stress just yet—we’ve taken an in-depth look at the agenda and have a few sessions that we recommend make your schedule cut.

Fan engagement is a hot topic for many sports teams right now. Teams are trying to figure out how to engage fans during a game, but the focus has shifted to keeping engagement consistent and plentiful throughout the season. Or what about when you have a tough year on the field? And what about sponsorships? How do they play into the experience of fans?

Join Carin Anderson and Phil Ervin to learn how the Minnesota Wild uses new technologies to create winning fan experiences and capitalize on sponsorship opportunities. You’re sure to leave with a few new tips and tricks to share with your team.

Sponsorships Unplugged

Monday, February 13th at 2:00 pm

Location: Auditorium Room 1

Sponsorship relationships have evolved in the last few years. Slapping a logo on a large hanging banner inside your venue doesn’t quite cut it anymore. Teams and sponsors should be partners that have an even value exchange—and with fan data, they should be able to quantify that value. It starts with understanding each other’s goals and objectives.

Dori Silverman, Director of Regional Marketing at Coca-Cola, and Kelly Higgins, Senior Manager of Partnership Activation at the New York Mets, will spend this session giving advice on how to create valuable relationships between sponsors and teams.

The Future of Sports: It’s All About That Story

Tuesday, February 14th at 11:15 am

Location: BRC Imagination Theater

As all sports marketers know, the most important part of their job is getting fans in the stadium and keeping them interested while they’re there. But what about during the offseason? Or when you’re having that pesky problem an off year? With so much content flooding the internet how do you keep the attention of your fans and keep them loyal to your team? It starts with your story.

Don’t miss this session with speakers from Minnesota United FC, PCG & SportsDesk Media and Allison + Partners where you’ll learn different approaches to better storytelling for your team.

These are just a few of the awesome sessions during this year’s summit that you’ll be sure to find us at. We hope you can catch us at the TechTank competition Sunday afternoon and be sure to stop by our booth (#4) for a warm surprise and meet our caricature artist who’ll be dying to draw you!